Pest control outfit leaked insecticide to gutter

Richard Fagerlund

Published
4:00 am PST, Saturday, January 10, 2009

Q: I recently had a small infestation of termites and called in a pest control company. It drilled holes around the whole perimeter of the house and poured insecticide of some sort into each hole. This stuff leaked into a drainpipe and ended up in the street gutter. It apparently did no harm and I have not had a termite problem since. I wonder what you think of this method of termite control.

A: In theory, the process of drilling holes around the perimeter of a building and pumping a termiticide into the holes is correct for subterranean termites. However, pumping the material into drainpipes and flooding gutters is reprehensible. The pest control company should have cleaned up the chemicals immediately.

Accidents happen in any industry, but when you are dealing with potentially dangerous chemicals, as the pest control industry does, then you have to be very careful and try to prevent accidents.

Always check references when dealing with pesticide companies. Accidents generally happen when a company takes shortcuts to finish the job more quickly or use less material. If it has a record of carelessness, that will come out. I can recommend termite companies that won't fill the gutters with pesticides.

Q: Just how serious a threat is the light brown apple moth that we keep hearing about and reading about? Will it eventually devastate California?

A: I think all the hype about this moth is ridiculous. The light brown apple moth (LBAM) belongs to the moth family tortricidae. Its scientific name is Epiphyas postvittana (Walker). The LBAM is native to Australia and has spread to New Zealand, New Caledonia, Hawaii, England and California. It has been found in Hawaii and England for almost 100 years. It was first "officially" discovered in California in 2007 but has probably been here much longer, perhaps decades, considering that it has been found from Los Angeles to Napa.

According to federal and state government agencies, the LBAM is a threat to agriculture, the economy and our ecosystem, though it has caused almost no damage since it has been found.

Actually, the moth is probably well established in the ecosystem and is probably being effectively controlled by predators of other species of tortricid (leaf-rolling) moths.

Nevertheless, the government agencies pulled out all the stops and used a variety of chemical weapons to eradicate this "invasive" species. Hundreds of people have reported getting sick from these so-called control methods, and hundreds of birds have died, although government agencies have said the sickness and bird deaths were coincidences.

To call the LBAM or any insect an invasive species is ridiculous. That would imply that they sat around and planned to invade and occupy our country. Humans are an invasive species. Bugs are opportunists. If we bring them into the country advertently or inadvertently, they will do the best they can to make a living here.

No, the LBAM will not devastate California, but the pesticides used to attempt to control them may.